His character Richard Rourke is a handsome and charming philanthropist, but Rourke's dark side is revealed when a tip leads Erin (Bridget Moynahan) and Danny (Donnie Wahlberg) to re-examine an unsolved cold case.

Mabius is best known for playing Daniel Meade on ABC series Ugly Betty between 2006 and 2010 and has since appeared on TNT's Franklin & Bash, USA's Political Animals and in short-lived BBC sci-fi drama Outcasts.

Blue Bloods was hit by controversy late last year when star Jennifer Esposito was dropped from the series, which she claimed was as a result of her ongoing struggle with coeliac disease.

Esposito slammed the show's network CBS for its "shameful behavior", saying: "This is about a disease that people don't understand. And what went on [here], it makes me sick."

Blue Bloods continues on Fridays at 10/9c on CBS and airs on Thursdays at 9pm on Sky Atlantic in the UK.